Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

Direct speech Reported speech

She says: "I like tuna fish." She says that she likes tuna fish.
She said: "I'm visiting Paris She said that she was visiting Paris
next weekend" the following weekend.

A. Reporting Statements

When transforming statements, check whether you have to

change:

 pronouns
 tense
 place and time expression

1- Pronouns

In reported speech, you often have to change the pronoun

depending on who says what.

Example:

She says, “My dad likes roast chicken.” – She says that her dad
likes roast chicken.

2- Tenses

 If the sentence starts in the present, there is no

backshift of tenses in reported speech.
 If the sentence starts in the past, there is often
backshift of tenses in reported speech.
 Direct speech Reported speech
(no backshift) “I write poems.” He says that he writes poems.
(backshift) “I write poems.” He said that he wrote poems

Example:
He said, “I am happy.” – He said that he was happy.

Examples of the main changes in tense:

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Simple Present Simple Past
He said: "I am happy" He said that he was happy
Present Progressive Past Progressive
He said: "I'm looking for my He said that he was looking for
keys" his keys
Simple Past Past Perfect Simple
He said: "I visited New York He said that he had visited New
last year" York the previous year.
Present Perfect Past Perfect
He said: " I've lived here for a
He said that he had lived there
long time " for a long time
Past Perfect Past Perfect
He said: "They had finished He said that they had finished
the work when I arrived" the work when he had arrived"
Past Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I was playing football
He said that he had been playing
when the accident occurred" football when the accident had
occurred
Present Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said:"I have been playing He said that he had been playing
 football for two hours." football for two hours
Past Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I had been reading a He said that he had been reading
newspaper when the light a newspaper when the light had
went off" gone off
Future Simple (will+verb) Conditional (would+verb)
He said: "I will open the door." He said that he would open the
door.
Conditional (would+verb) Conditional (would+verb)
He said: "I would buy Mercedes He said that he would buy
if I were rich" Mercedes if he had been rich"

The modal verbs could, should, would, might, needn't, ought to,
used to do not normally change.
Example:
He said, "She might be right." – He said that she might be right.

Place, demonstratives and time expressions

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Time Expressions
today that day
now then
yesterday the day before
… days ago … days before
last week the week before
next year the following year
tomorrow the next day / the following day
Place
here there
Demonstratives
this that
 these those

Reporting Questions

Types of questions Direct speech Reported speech

With question word "Why" don’t He asked me why I
(what, why, where, you speak didn’t speak
how...) English?” English.
Without question “Do you speak He asked me
word (yes or no English?” whether / if I
questions) spoke English.

Reporting requests / commands

Direct speech Reported speech

“Nancy,do the exercise.“ He told Nancy to do the exercise.
"Nancy, give me your pen, He asked Nancy to give him her
please." pen.

Tenses are not relevant for requests – simply use to  / not to +
verb (infinitive without "to